In the prior art, it is known to consolidate composite materials comprising layers of fibers and a matrix together by first off-gassing the composite material followed by consolidation. These types of composite materials are shown in FIG. 1 wherein the composite material is designated by the reference numeral 10. The composite material 10 comprises a series of layered fibers 1 surrounded by a matrix 3.
Typically, the fibers 1 and matrix 3 are held together with an adhesive 5 in what is typically called a green form, see FIG. 2, reference numeral 20. The adhesives 5 are usually organic materials which have been dissolved in a solvent. The green form 20 is placed in a tool and is subjected to a vacuum to remove any moisture in the green form 20 as well as the organic material of the adhesive 5. The off-gas processing volatizes the water and adhesives by heating the green form to the appropriate volatizing temperature.
One of the problems with prior art tooling in this regard is the inability to allow the volatized water and adhesives to be removed while holding the composite material in place so that it can be subsequently consolidated. In prior art apparatus, the composite material is subjected to shifting which disrupts the orientation and spacing of the reinforcing materials therein, for example, the fibers 1 in the composite 10 of FIG. 1. With this disruption, the consolidated composite material has less than desirable product characteristics.
As such, a need has developed to provide an improved tooling apparatus which not only allows the volatized water and adhesives to be removed but also keeps the green form in place during off-gassing and consolidation.
Responsive to this need, the present invention provides a tooling apparatus which overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art apparatus discussed above. That is, according to the invention, the inventive tooling apparatus includes features which not only permit off-gassing to occur but also hold the composite material in place so that the composite can be subjected to both off-gassing and consolidation.